Fabricated brick wall panel construction



. July 5, 1938.

E. v. PO$TON FABRICATED BRICK WALL PANEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 10, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 2.

6M&%

INVENTOR. I

A TTORNEYS.

y 1933- E. v. POSTON FABRICATED BRICK WALL PANEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 10, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FABRICATED BRICK WALL PANEL CONSTRUCTION Emmett V. Poston, Springfield, 111.

Application February 10, 1937, Serial No. 125,095

My invention relates to brick wall construction vertically aligned in intermeshing broken jointed and more especially to fabricated wall construc-- formation with adjacent terminals of adjacent tion wherein a wall is built of a number of panels panels, will form a stabilizing and strengthening each preferably made before its delivery on the pilaster in the wall which when utilized in conjob and made in a form requiring little or no nection with other such pilaster in the wall will 6 modification before itisfitted into awall. pr vide a very b n l stability r a wall A further purpose of my invention is to prowhich possesses everything that is needed in a vide a fabricated brick wall construction posbrick wall construction with the elimination of sessing a maximum of strength with a minimum the details of construction that are not needed.

10 'of weight permitting each panel to be more easily I attain the objects of my brick panel described 10 and conveniently handled from the time it is bein the annexed specification, recited in the claims ing made in a manufacturing plant up to the time and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that it is fitted into a brick wall. wherein like reference numbers indicate like A further purpose of my invention is to provide parts in the several figures. a fabricated brick wall panel construction where- Referring to the figures: 15

in the panels are each constructed with brick slabs Fig. 1 is a perspective of one of my fabricated of any desired texture set into a relatively thin brick wall panel constructions disclosing the exwall of a mixture of a binding cement and a posed face thereof. comparatively light weight aggregate as a body Fig. 2 is the perspective of the panel shown in with the brick slabs arranged in broken jointed Fig. 1. and disclosing the rear portion thereof. 20 formation with the outer exposed faces of the Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the panel shown brick slabs all showing as perfectly and as ornain Figs. 1 and 2. mentally attractive as it would be possible to Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section of one of my panels Show such ornamental face brick in a wall contaken between two adjacent layers of brick slabs.

26 struction ordinarily made by the use of the entire Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective illustrating the brick and built in the usual manner. manner in which adjacent ends of adjacent panels A particular purpose of my invention is to are fitted together in broken jointed connection provide a portable panel in any desired form from with the added stabilizing tie rod. which a brick wall construction may be made and Fig. 6 is a perspective of a corner construction 30 to provide such a panel in a form and weight that showing two adjacent fabricated panels about to 30 may be conveniently handled and substantially be fitted together on a corner in broken jointed held together without having an excessive weight formation with the reinforcing tie rod. and a panel wherein the exposed brick members Fig. 7 is a perspective of one of the terminal are actually brick slabs fixed in a relatively thin header bricks shaped to define one of the end body of binding cement and comparatively light bricks of each panel which helps to form a'pilas- 35 weight aggregate mixture with the brick slabs ter when adjacent panels are connected in a wall arranged in broken jointed formation and with giving greater stability to the wall. each panel not only having a substantial re-in- Fig. 8 is a perspective of a form preferably forcing body of relatively heavy wire throughout used for locating the brick slabs in the panel in 40 the body of the binding agent and aggregate mix desired position when preparing my panels. 40 but with each end of the panel provided with Referring to the details of preferred constructerminal header bricks each shaped to define a tion of my invention, it may be said that in the complete brick and apprommately one half of its common practice with brick wall construction, length and an integral brick slab for the balance it has been the experience with contractors of its length, with an upright hole through that putting up brick buildings, especially residence 45 end of the brick that is complete to accommodate work, to make the brick walls of solid bricks a tie rod adapted to extend down through a series utilizing the entire rectangular brick body which of vertically aligned such holes when the panel is is set into the wall with mortar and which inset into a wall construction with the tie rod exvolves a great deal of weight and a greater volume tending down through corresponding holes in of material in the wall than may be commonly 50 intermeshing header bricks of the adjacent ends needed for the support and protection of such of adjacent connected panels. buildings as residences, and the like.

.An important feature of this form of header A brick construction has been recognized as bricks is found in the fact that when the panels desirable but has also been regarded as comare set into a wall, the header bricks when thus paratively expensive and by way of comparison, 55

a frame residence has been considered in this country to be much less expensive than a brick building of the same room capacity.

With my invention, it has not only been my purpose to provide a brick wall construction that is fully as attractive, sufilciently strong and substantial in construction for any residence purposes but it has been my purpose to provide a brick wall construction that will have all the stability that is needed for relatively small buildings such as residence construction; that will possess all the beauty that is commonly found in brick walls; that will form panels which are portable, convenient and relatively light weight to handle for construction purposes; that will involve details of construction which will make the panels simple and convenient to set into a wall and a' panel construction which will, when set into a wall, be provided with a series of spaced integral pilasters offering a more substantial stability to the wall.

One of the preferred constructions of my invention is shown in the drawings. It is obvious that minor changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention; since it is true that the kind of material used and the exact form of the brick slabs, or the exact form of the header bricks is not essential to the operating requirements of my invention.

It will be noted in the drawings that I provide as the salient features of my invention a fabricated brick wall panel construction wherein a plurality of brick slabs I are set into a jig form 2 with their faces down where they are held in a position to provide broken jointed formation with the spaces between the bricks and between the brick rows uniform; while in the same jig form, header bricks 3 are set with their faces down.

When thus preparing one of my panels, retaining side plates are provided on the jig form 2 to hold the binding cement and the light weight aggregate mix 4 as it is poured in on top of the brick slabs l and the slab portion of the header bricks where this mix will then fill in the spaces that are intended to be filled between the brick slab members. In this manner, when the panel formation is completed, the brick slab members then will be substantially held in place by the binding agent.

In order to more substantially hold my panel construction together in a reinforced manner, I provide a reinforcing wire 5 which when under construction, is laid into the body of the light weight aggregate filler. and then covered with more aggregate so that the reinforcing wire 5 will be imbedded into the body of aggregate when the binding agent and the aggregate are set. Thus, with this placement of the reinforcing wire, an added strength is provided for this relatively thin construction with a tendency to hold the slab construction together substantially as a compact unit for wall construction.

In the construction of my panel, I have also found it advisable to provide a' reinforcing bar 6 laid into a channel 1 of the slab portions 8 of the header bricks 3 so that such barswill have a reinforcing contact with the reinforcing wire 5 when the aggregate 4 is poured into place to bind' the bricks together in the panel.

It will be noted that the terminal header bricks 3 in my panels are shaped so that about one-half of the bricks length forms a solid brick body with a transverse hole 9 therein to accommodate tie rod ill for aiding and substantial- 1y holding the adjacent connected panels together in a corner in the wall.

The other portion of the header bricks are in each case shaped to define a slab portion of a brick with its smaller end approximately the thickness of the other slabs in the panel wall. When this header brick is formed, it is preferably made so that a series of spaced transverse channels are set in place when the brick is molded to define spaced holes through which the undesired portion of the brick may be broken off after the brick is burned.

These header bricks are formed as they are forced out of the die in a plastic condition and as the plastic column leaves the die these transverse channels are formed by fixed pins while at the same time that portion of the header brick which is not needed, is cut from the other portion by a wire fixed on the mouth of the die as the plastic column is discharged therefrom. In order to protect the needed portion of the header brick through their firing operation, this undesired portion of the plastic column is left in place through all the operations of wire cutting the individual bricks from the column and drying and firing the bricks; after which it is a comparatively easy matter to break off the undesired portion of each brick unit.

It is not essentialthat my panel units be all alike but the salient features of each are similar in their construction and it is obvious that since my fabricated panels are made preferably in a construction plant and delivered to the job to be put into a building then the arrangement of fitting parts of each panel is disposed in a manner which will permit adjacent panels to snugly and substantially fit together in a. broken jointed formation arrangement of the header bricks of each so that a. tie rod may be effectively used to aid in binding the adjacent connected panels to-' gether in addition to the use of a binding cement that is effectively used to hold the adjacent and vertically aligned header bricks of connected panels rigidly in their intended structural connection.

The header bricks of adjacently connected panels are cemented together in a neat and substantial manner as each horizontally adjacent panel is set up in the wall structure and this cementing operationis facilitated by using a form of the front and rear surface of the adjacently connected header bricks of adjacent panels into which form the binding agent between the adjacent panels is poured and permitted to dry,

Thus, it will be seen that when the panels of my invention are set into fitting position in a brick wallconstruction then the constructionof the header bricks is such as will permit them to define an upright pilaster in every position where the adjacent panel units are connected and this pil'aster will have a tendency to reinforce the wall construction and provide a substantial it into the binding agent. It is also obvious that by constructing these individual panels wherein only the exposed face brick slab is used along with the binding agent and aggregate then only about one-eighth of the body and the weight of an ordinary brick is needed for each unit with the result that in this construction eight times as much face exposure may be provided out of the same amount of material that is ordinarily utilized inone single brick.

In addition to these merits of my invention, I am not only making it possible to provide a substantial brick wall construction for residences and other light structural jobs, but I provide such wall construction in a manner that utilizes a minimum of brick material in an effective combination with a mixture of binding cement and very light weight aggregate such as haydite, and the like, which does not weigh more than approximately seventy ,percent of the weight of ordinary pilaster and cement mix.

Thus, I am able to provide, with my invention, a substantial and stable wall construction for residences and other like construction purposes with ample strength and a minimum of material used and with every detail of construction provided therein 'that may be observed in a brick building, so far as beauty of design, strength, stability and economy are concerned with the added feature of simplicity of construction operation, accuracy in details of wall construction and uniform fitting arrangement of the connected parts.

Under the usual conditions where brick residences are built utilizing face brick the entire brick has been used throughout the brick ,wall construction whereas only the exposed face or end of such ornamental face brick would be observed when looking at the finished building.

With my invention, therefore, it is obvious that the exposed faces to be observed by the passerby are each relatively thin slabs and are not necessarily depended upon to form a vital portion of the supporting wall with the result that this invention presents a situation wherein approximately eight times as much area in the exposed face brick wall may be covered by a face brick material the same amount of which was previously required to make one complete brick unit.

Furthermore the header bricks used in the construction of my fabricated brick panels are shaped in a novel manner and not only are made in such shape with a view to utilizing a minimum of material but serve in their organization as a very efficient element of the connection between adjacent panels whether in a straight wall or in a corner and are adapted in their design to accomplish this efllcient connection not only with a minimum of material but in a shape that will provide increased stability for the wall structure when the header bricks and adjacent ends of adjacent panels are vertically aligned and anchored together by a tie rod wherein each connection between adjacent panels these header bricks are vertically aligned in shape to define a pilaster to aid in stabilizing the wall structure.

Having thus described the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A fabricated brick wall panel construction comprising a portable panel including a plurality of brick face members each having an outer face exposed to view on one side of the panel fixed into a body of binding cement and light weightaggregate mixture in broken jointed forin one portable mation; said body provided with a reinforcing material and the panel provided at both ends with alternately spaced'and uprightly aligned header brick members each having an uprightly disposed hole each adapted to be vertically aligned with corresponding holes and other header bricks on the same end of the panel; said header bricks at each end-of the panel each provided with aligned upright channels and accommodating an upright anchoring bar and to provide a more substantial anchorage for the body of binding cement and light weight aggregate and said reinforcing material set into said mixture of cement and light weight aggregate in a position where it will be held in contact with said an-- choring bars registering within said upright channel of the terminal header bricks of the panel.

2. As a new product of manufacture. a fabricated brick wall panel construction comprising unit a plurality of brick slabs with outer faces exposed to view, fixed in broken jointed formation into a relatively thin body of mixture of a binding cement and relatively light weight aggregate; said panels having their end bricks shaped to define means for anchoring the panel to an adjacent panel by an intermeshing broken jointed fitting relation when said adjacent panels are connected in a horizontal wall alignment in the same vertical plane and when connected at an angle to each other on a corner in a wall, said end bricks arranged in alternate space relation on each end respectively and in vertical alignment with an upright hole extending through the same to accommodate a vertical reinforcing bar to provide a strengthening tie between said panel and adjacent connected panel, said end bricks further shaped to define headers which when meshed with and anchored to adjacent headers of adjacent panels in the wall construction will form a strengthening pilaster for the wall construction, a reinforcing element shaped within said body of binding cement and aggregate mix behind said brick slabs in said panel; said header bricks having an integral slab portion provided with one or more upright channels and an upright reinforcing bar set into portions of the header bricks with each reinforcing bar at the respective ends of the panel making a fixed and reinforcing contact with said reinforcing member of the panel when set into lslaiid binding cement and light weight aggregate x. 3. In a brick wall construction, a fabricated brick wall panel construction comprising in one portable unit a plurality of brick slabs with outer faces exposed to view fixed in broken jointed formation into a relatively thin body of mixture of a binding cement and relatively light weight aggregate; said panels having their end bricks shaped to define means for anchoring the panel to an adjacent panel by an intermeshing broken jointed fitting relation when said adjacent panels are connected in a horizontal wall alignment in the same vertical plane and when connected at an angle to each other on a corner in a wall, said end bricks arranged in alternate spacerelation on each end respectively and in vertical alignment with an upright hole extending through the same to accommodate a vertical reinforcing bar to provide a strengthening tie between said panel and adjacent connected panel, said end bricks further shaped to define headers which when meshed with and anchored to adjacent headers of adjacent panels in the wall convertically aligned channels of said slabstruction, a reinforcing element shaped within said body of binding cement and aggregate mix behind said brick slabs in said panel; said header bricks having an integral slab portion provided with one or more upright channels and an upright reinforcing bar set into vertically aligned channels of said slab portions of the header bricks with each reinforcing bar at the respective ends of the panel making a fixed and reinforcing contact with said reinforcing member of the panel when set into said binding cement and light weight aggregate mix.

4. A brick wall construction comprising a plurality of portable brick panels each respectively shaped and respectively fitted to adjacent panels in a pre-determined fitting relation and said' panels each comprising in one portable unit a plurality of brick slabs with outer faces exposed to view, fixed in broken jointed formation into a relatively thin body of mixture of a-binding cement and relatively light weight aggregate; said panels having their end bricks shaped to define means for anchoring the panel to an adjacent panel by an intermeshing broken jointed fitting relation when said adjacent panels are connected in a horizontal wall alignment in the same vertical plane and when connected at an angle to each other on a corner in a wall, said end bricks arranged in alternate space relation on each end respectively and in vertical alignment with an upright hole extending through the same to accommodate a vertical reinforcing bar to provide a strengthening tie between said panel and adjacent connected panel, said end bricks further shaped to define headers which when meshed with and anchored to adjacent headers of adjacent panels in the wall construction will form a strengthening pilaster for the wall construction, a reinforcing element shaped within said body of binding cement-and aggregate mix behind said brick slabs in said panel; said header bricks having an integral slab portion provided with one or more upright channels and an upright reinforcing bar set into vertically aligned channels of saidslab portions of the header bricks with each reinforcing bar at the respective ends of the panel making a fixed and reinforcing contact with said reinforcing member of the panel when set into said binding cement and light weight aggregate mix.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a header brick unit adapted to be provided as a fixed terminal connecting element in a fabricated brick wall panel and shaped to define a brick member comprising approximately one half of the longitudinal body of a brick and an integral portion of said brick unit shaped to define a slab, the face of which is in the same plane with the panels of the longitudinal portion of the brick and the rear surface of which slab is shaped to define one or more transverse channels and a rough contacting surface for providing more substantial engagement of a binding cement therewith when the header brick is set into a wall panel construction; said first portion of the header brick provided with an upright hole centrally disposed therein to accommodatea tie rod for said header brick when used in conjunction with others for connecting adjacent ends of adjacent panels adapted to provide at such connections a pilaster'construction in a wall structure that will make a wall more stable and substantial.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a header brick unit adapted to be operatively utilized with and shaped to define a fixed terminal connecting element in a fabricated brick wall panel, approximately one half of the length of said brick unit from one end, shaped to provide an upright relatively large hole to accommodate an upright tie rod, and the balance of the length of said brick unit shaped to define a relatively thin upright slab, the rear surface of which is shaped to define irregular roughnesses for operatively anchoring a binding agent thereto, in the formation of said panel, the face of said brick unit forming a plane adapted to operatively register in the plane of the face of other bricks in said panel; said brick unit adapted to be used in coniunction with other spaced like units disposed in vertical alignment at the end of one of said panels and connecting adjacent ends of said panels, as described, and to provide at such connections, a plurality of vertically aligned header brick units defining for said panels when in a brick wall, a pilaster construction adapted to make the wall more stable and substantial.

EMIVIE'I'I V. POSTON. 

